Positioning means for folding baby carriages



Dec. 30, 1952 J REESE 2,623,754

POSITIONING MEANS FOR FOLDING BABY CARRIAGES Filed Nov. 1, 1951 Ens 5 INVENTOR. JOHN Reese .frame of the carriage at Patented Dec. 30, 1 952 POSITIONING MEANS FOR FOLDING BABY CARRIAGES John'Reese, Gardner, Mass., assignor to Thayer Company. Gardner, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 1, 1951, Serial No. 254,350

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and improved folding baby carriages. In foldingbaby carriages, it often happens that the folding mechanism pinches, tears, or abradesthe fabric ofthe folding carriage, thus wearing the same or causing damage as the carriage is folded and unfolded. This damage has been found to be occasioned by the fact that the folding fabric of the body of the carriage does not always fold correctly with refference to the folding gear, scissors frame, etc.,

and it is the principal object of the present inven tion to provide new and improved means for cor-- rectly positioning the body of the carriage with reference to the folding gear to avoid the disadvantages stated above.

The object of thisinvention is carried out by providing a well or rigid frame in the bottom of the folding body of the carriage and connecting this rigid frame to the folding mechanism in such a way as to cause the well and therefore the folding parts of the carriage body to be moved relative to the folding frame and the top of the car riage during the folding action, so that the flexi ble fabric or other body material is correctly positioned to avoid the folding gear, scissors frame, pusher handle, etc., and thus increasing the life of the carriage and of the folding fabric thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a folding baby carriage to which the present invention may be applied;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view illustrating the inven tion with the carriage extended in condition for use;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the frame partly folded;

Fig. i is a section through the well of the carriage and illustrating the novel mechanism; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section illustrating the guide clip.

As shown in Fig. 1 there is disclosed a more or less conventional type of folding carriage embodying an under carriage generally indicated at If! and including wheels, supporting frame, etc. This under carriage or running gear supports a scissors frame I 2 and M at either side of the carriage. The member [2 is pivoted to the upper frame of the carriage at I 6 and member M breaks at it so that the pusher handle 29 may be folded forwardly in the direction of the arrow in Fig, 1.

Otherwise member I4 is pivoted to the top The two members I2 and M are interpi-voted at 24. Well-known latch devices are provided to maintain member M in straight condition and when it is desired to fold the carriage these latch devices are actuated to break the member 14, allowing the carriage to fold down and handle 20- to be pivoted forwardly. This action is old and well known and will. be clear to those skilled in the art.

When the described folding action takes place, the fabric of the body portion 26 of the carriage folds and becomes ruflied or pleated, and often becomes caught in or abraded by the relatively moving frame parts I2 and I4, and it has been discovered that this-occurs very largely because the carriage is folded directly vertically downwardly.

By moving the bottom portion of the carriage forwardly slightly, as the folding frame action takes place vertically downwardly, the above recited disadvantages are overcome. To this end, and also for holding the carriage body in more or less taut condition, there is provided a rigid bottom well or frame 28 which has a bottom 30 and side walls 32. This well or frame is secured to the fabric 26 of the carriage body and forms a bottom for the same which may include a seat or adjustable back rests, etc. for the occupant of the carriage.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that there is provided an angle bracket in the form of a bell-crank and this is indicated at 3 1 and 35 as to the two arms thereof.

The free end of arm 34 is pivoted at 38 to frame member I 2 above pivot point 24. The free end of arm 36 is pivoted at 40 to the down-turned end 42 of a bar 44 which extends beneath the bottom 38 of the well and is secured thereto by pivots or bolts 46.

A guide clip 48 is fixed to the frame member M below pivot 24 and this clip has an inturned bottom 50 and upturned lip 52 forming a guideway including the arm 36 of the bell-crank and guiding and supporting the same in the action to be described.

It is to be understood that the construction is applied to the carriage at each side thereof, see particularly Fig. 4, but in any case, the bracket t l, 4'26 is pivoted to member I2 as shown, and is not pivoted to member Hi. Arm 36 slides relative to the latter in a certain manner as prescribed by the clip 38.

With the parts as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the carriage is extended in useful condition and in this event the carriage appears to be substantially conventional and is used in a conventional manner. However, when it is desired to fold the carriage, the means I8 are unlatched and the carriage is folded down in the usual manner, so far as the operator is concerned. However, by reason of the action of the bracket 34, 36, the well 28 and the bottom portion of the fabric body 26 are moved forwardly in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, since clip 48 forces the bracket 34, 36 to slide forwardly bringing with it the well and the fabric as described. When this happens, it is found that the fabric 26 is folded or pleated and brought down in such a way as to completely avoid the members I2 and I4 and other folding parts of the frame, and the entire carriage body is positioned correctly relative to the folded-over handle 20 and the other parts of the carriage for the purposes set forth.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A folding carriage comprising a folding frame composed of crossed pivoted members, a folding body suspended from the members above the pivot axis thereof, a rigid bottom well in the body, a bracket pivoted to one of the crossed members and to the bottom wall and causing the latter to be horizontally translated as the frame members fold down vertically, and a guide to direct and support the bracket in the movement thereof, said guide being secured to the other crossed member.

2. A folding carriage comprising a pair of crossed interpivoted frame members, a carriage body suspended therefrom, a bell-crank shaped bracket pivoted at one end to one crossed member and at the other end to the bottom of the carriage body, said bracket lying behind the crossed membars in general conformance thereto, and a guide on the other member to support and guide the bracket as the crossed members are folded down.

3. A folding carriage comprising a pair of crossed interpivoted frame members, a carriage body suspended therefrom, a bell-crank shaped bracket pivoted at one end to one crossed member and at the other end to the bottom of the carriage body, said bracket lying behind the crossed members in general conformance thereto, and a guide on the other member to support and guide the bracket as the crossed members are folded down, said bracket being pivoted to the respective crossed member above the pivot axis thereof and the guide being secured to the respective crossed member below the pivot axis.

4. A folding carriage comprising running gear, a folding frame, a flexible carriage body on the frame, a well in the carriage, and means on the folding frame secured to the well to move the latter and at least a part of the carriage body angularly relative to the direction of folding of the carriage body, said means including a bracket pivoted to a member of the frame and a guide for the bracket on another member thereof, said guide comprising a U-shaped clip, the bracket riding on the closed end thereof.

JOHN REESE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,225,999 Kroll et al. Dec. 24, 1940 2,244,155 Hendrickson et al. June 3, 1941 2,287,315 Kroll et al. June 23, 1942 

